More Harry Potter Adventure In Oxford

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

To follow on our magical Harry Potter trip to Edinburgh, we headed to Oxford on a stormy day. Yes, typhoon Doris was in the UK and we definitely felt its presence through the strong winds. Luckily, there was no rain so it was a little more comfortable to walk around Oxford.

The main purpose of our trip to Oxford was to see "The Great Hall" and "The Stairway". As a clueless Harry Potter wanna-be, I didn't know anything else apart from that. I later found out that one of my favourite structures in Oxford was in four of the Harry Potter films. The Divinity Hall was used as Hogwarts Infirmary, and the Duke Humphrey's Library was the Hogwarts Library, where Harry became invisible. Both of which are located inside the Bodleian Library.

A certain tree in New College was used in The Goblet of Fire. This is where Draco was turned into a ferret- this I remember quite well. The treeis actually visible from the "Bridge of Sighs" - another Oxford favourite of mine.

When we arrived in Christ Church, we were told that The Great Hall was closed until 2pm and were instructed to go back. We bought the tickets anyway, and because we had more or less than two hours to spare, we explored the grounds of Christ Church and then went for coffee at a nearby cafe.

I can't remember if I have been inside the Christ Church Cathedral before, but I am glad I did this time. The interior of the church is a sight to behold.

We did as we were told, so we were back at The Great Hall just after 2 o'clock.

I have seen The Great Hall at least twice before but for some reason, this time it was more fun and exciting. Perhaps because I was with my niece, who is a true Potterhead. We did a two-day Harry Potter tour on our own and that was a revealing experience to me. This whole adventure was a reflection of how passionate she is about the things that she loves. A lot of times, I stared at her and admired her for being such an intelligent, enthusiastic and determined person. Quite like Hermione Granger really. :)

When we got back to London, we went straight to The Ritz for our afternoon tea. It was an amazing way to end our 4-day UK adventure.

I surely miss her writing this because God knows when we'll see each other again (although we're hoping in the next few months). Farrah is a proof that no matter how distant of a relative you are, it's that special connection that brings you closer together. To be honest, I have a better relationship with her than most of my second-degree relations. This is why I treasure our relationship so much.